Cong candidate gets EC notice

The Election Commission today slapped a notice to Congress candidate from South Tura constituency for holding an election meeting without prior permission and using "hate speech".
The action has been initiated on the basis of complaint registered by the National Peoples Party (NPP).
Chief electoral officer F R Kharkongor confirmed issuance of notice and said deputy commissioner of the district has been asked to investigate into the matter.
Meghalaya will go to poll for all 60 seats on February 27 this month.
According to the NPP complaint, the Congress nominee Grithalson Arengh and his supporters held a meeting at New Walbakgre on February 9 where he allegedly used inflammatory words against both the NPP and the BJP.

The complaint alleged that the Congress candidate in his speech had stated that "if the NPP and the BJP are voted to power, Christianity would be eliminated from the state of Meghalaya".

Arengh has been asked to reply to the show cause notice by Tuesday failing which action would be taken as per rules of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the notice said.
The notice also mentioned that the Congress nominee had not sought permission from the Returning Officer (RO) to hold the meeting despite model code already being in force.
"Your intention to hold meeting during such critical time period without seeking permission is construed to be a deliberate attempt on your part to willfully violate the Model Code of conduct and rules," said the show cause.